Mancini assumed curbside drop-off was allowed since the Cathode Ray nightclub offered it at the same location before it closed, and the nearby Chima Brazilian Steakhouse has valet attendants. But the city quickly shut down Mancini's valet operation.

Curbside valet service, commonplace at restaurants and bars in other South Florida communities, is not allowed in Fort Lauderdale. Enforcement, though, has been erratic and businesses from the Himmarshee entertainment district to the beach are pushing for change.

City commissioners will consider a proposal later this summer to legalize curbside valet service and even allow businesses to rent space in public garages and lots to park cars that customers have dropped off.

"It kills my business if I can't valet park," Mancini said. "We have a lot of customers, and they want to drop off their car and not walk eight blocks to the restaurant."

The current city code allows valet service only if the business has private property where the customer can drop off the car and where attendants can then park the vehicle. That's the situation at places like Ruth's Chris Steakhouse off Federal Highway. People pull into a drive in front of the restaurant and their cars are parked in a side lot.

Those restrictions largely rule out valet service in older areas like Himmarshee, Las Olas and the beach. The businesses were built up to the street, and the only way most can offer valet is if they can use adjacent parking spots or curb for drop-off.

City Attorney Harry Stewart acknowledged the city has failed to consistently enforce its rules and believes the situation must be re-examined.

Mayor Jack Seiler agrees. He wants curbside valet parking widely available to businesses as long as it doesn't hurt traffic safety.

"It can be difficult finding a parking spot on a street like Las Olas and I'd rather have people out of their cars strolling along Las Olas than driving up and down the street looking for a place to park," Seiler said.

The proposal drawn up over the past year by city staff would mirror laws that allow curbside valet service in Hollywood, South Beach and Delray Beach. In those communities, businesses can set up valet operations once they provide plans that designate where the cars would be dropped off and parked and prove they meet city safety and insurance requirements.

Fort Lauderdale's proposal would prohibit curbside valet on streets where the speed limit is greater than 30 mph and on busy parts of Las Olas Boulevard and Southwest Second Avenue. Businesses in those areas could propose curbside service on side streets.

"It's needed to help facilitate traffic downtown," downtown restaurateur Tim Petrillo said. "As more and more people visit downtown, parking becomes more of an issue and valet parking helps resolve that. You ensure your customers can get to your restaurant."

Petrillo is one of the few with curbside valet. He said the law needs to be clarified to allow others to do so as well. He has offered the service since he first opened a restaurant in the Himmarshee area about 15 years ago, he said, and parks between 50 and 100 cars a night.

Businesses in the Sunrise Lane near the city beach are also pushing for curbside valet. Parking is limited in the area, and the small restaurants, shops and bars have no way to offer valet service unless the city allows it along the curb.

"Our major hurdle is parking," said Tim Schiavone, owner of the Parrot Lounge. "These are tough economic times, people want convenience and there are a lot of places where they can go. They drive around the block five times and then drive off to somewhere else."

Jackie Scott, president of the Colee Hammock neighborhood that surrounds part of Las Olas, said she supports curbside service, but added detailed parking plans for the cars will be critical. She wants officials to ensure valet attendants do not park cars in nearby residential areas.

"You don't want to stop them from operating, but it needs to be done safely and there must be a legitimate location to put the cars," Scott said.